On our last blog, we discussed two starting points to insure you won’t pick a contractor who will
steal your deposit, damage your property, or do shoddy work and not stand behind it. These
recommendations were to check with the BBB and to verify insurance coverage.
Let’s go a couple of steps further. Have you seen any examples of this contractor’s work?
Usually, good companies will eagerly display a job sign in front of a home they are working on.
This means they are not ashamed of what they are doing, and the owner wants the neighbors
to see they are having their property renovated and improved. One job sign is good, but if
there have been several in the same subdivision or street by that company, that is a pretty
good indicator that the company is reputable and does good work. If you feel comfortable
doing so, you might inquire of the neighbor or homeowner how the job is going and what kind
of overall experience they are having or have had. Because projects vary widely in scope and
cost, discussions about price and budget may be a no-no.
Another indicator of good reputation is how the contractor gets more business. If a lot of the
new customers are the result of referrals or repeat business, you probably have a winner. Bad
contractors are almost always “one and done”. It’s hard enough to get people to share good
experiences, but they’ll shout it from the housetops when they’ve been taken advantage of.
Bad news travels much faster than good news (unfortunately).
Another possibility is checking with suppliers. For example, if you are considering a Kitchen
remodel, talking to the cabinet supplier might be a good move (assuming you know what kind
of cabinet). Sometimes, consulting with a manufacturer might be possible. Many
manufacturers have “preferred” contractor programs where certain companies get rewarded
for exceptional work.
One additional thought for this week. Do you feel a connection with the person doing the
estimating? Is your first contact with company personnel positive, reassuring? Or do you have
some kind of weird, gut-level sense of uneasiness? Admittedly, there are some salespeople
that are experts at schmoozing. And there are those that just won’t take the hint to leave.
There’s a delicate mix between overly aggressive sales people and under responsive customers.
It’s the salesman’s job to ask for the business in a respectful manner. It’s the owner’s job to be
honest and forthright about their goals, plans and objectives. -
Jim Brubaker - Sr. Project Coordinator
